Bleak Reunion
by mrsremusjohnlupin
Summary: Peeta is still in the grasp of the Capitol, and Katniss is forced to 'live' without him. Then she plans a way to save him. Gale/Katniss Peeta/Katniss little bits of Finnick/Katniss
1. Reunion

My eyes meet his across the crowded room. He grins, spreading his arms wide as I run into them. It had been far too long since I had seen him. But the group from District Thirteen had somehow managed to track him down and save his life. There were dark circles around his eyes, and plenty of other injuries that would surely cause scars.

"Katniss," I listen as he takes in a deep breath of my hair.

I sob into his shoulder. I was so afraid that I had lost him forever; that I would never see him again. "You're alive," I hadn't wanted to believe it. When Haymitch told me, I needed to see it with my own eyes. Then, and only then, would I accept that he had not been tortured to death.

He comforts me in a way I could never do for him. Whispering soft words into my ear as he runs his fingers through my hair. It calms me, and then I am stepping back to get a better look at him. A little worse for wear, the bruises on his eyes obviously the result of a fight. Nothing too major, at least not what I could see.

That's when he tugs me closer, and his warmth envelops me once more. "I missed you," he pulls back to place a kiss on the top of my forehead. He deserves more, a kiss on the lips. That is just something I am not ready for. So I frown up at him instead.

"It should have been me."

His eyes grow dark the second it's out and I regret the words. "No, Katniss," he shakes his head and looks at me as if I am insane. Maybe I am. But not for the reason he thinks, not at all. "You're the hope. Don't think like that at all. No one would be anywhere at all without you," he sighs and smiles. "But I'm here now with you, so the point is moot."

I only nod, too numb and relived to let his statement make me feel uncomfortable. Then he cups my cheeks with both his hands, my arms going to his chest. But then he winces and I drop them. They hang loose at my sides as he leans down and kisses me. It is a slow, smoldering kiss. The third time he kissed me that left me wanting more. Since I did not know all the places that he was injured, and since his chest seemed one of them, I kfept my hands to myself.

"Oh, and I brought you something," he says as he pulls away. I stare at him, confused, as he pulls out the scrapbook. The one that he helped me make when my leg was broken. It seemed like such a long time ago, when it was a little more than a month. The same book that was inside my house when the Capitol dropped the bombs and started the fires. The one that was destroyed.

That is when I know it is a dream, and I force myself to fight to the surface, watching as Peeta disappears and the black of my eyelids is all I see. Yet he somehow seems imprinted there, his face smiling as he moves closer to me. While I know he is alright, that he has survived with nothing more than a few scars.

I do not realize that I am screaming until hands are touching my arm, shaking me. When I open my eyes, they meet Gale's. His look is full of concern as he asks me if I am alright. I want to scream at him, tell him he should have forced Haymitch to rescue Peeta instead. But I hold it in. It's not Gale's fault nothing happened like it was supposed to.

"I'm _fine_," I say, and force a smile. It was the word I have chosen to use anytime someone asks that. Usually it is enough to get people off my back and carry on with their business, but tonight Gale will not let it slide. This is not the first time I woke up screaming.

Those dreams are the worst kind of nightmares. They always seem so real, like Peeta is actually there, alive and well. I get my hopes up, even in my dreams. At the end I always realize that they are not real. Peeta is not safe; he is in the vicious and cruel arms of the Capitol. No one knows if he is even alive. The nightmares make everything even worse than it already is.

"I'll stay with you," Gale's voice is soft but firm. There is no arguing with him. In District Thirteen, his family and mine decided to share a house. If an underground tunnel could be considered a house.

He crawls into bed with me, under the covers. I turn around onto my other side, letting him pull my back to him. His protective arm around me feels familiar. It will not help my situation any, but I decide to do it anyway. Before falling asleep, I picture that it is Peeta's arm around me. His warm body pressed against mine. His artistic fingertips making a small circle on my waist, knowing it's effective in getting me to fall asleep.

Peeta's smile still lingering behind my eyelids as I drift off again.

---

First _Hunger Games_ story! I really like writing Katniss... [:

Dedicated to **Amy,** who also was my Beta for this and does not remember her screen name.

Her love for Peeta/Katniss and dislike of Gale inspired me to write this with her in mind. *licks*

Please review, they make me oh-so happy. ;D


	2. To Care

I'm not sure what there is for me anymore, what there is left to live for. But I wake up to Prim's voice calling my name, I know that there is nothing I can do to hurt her or my mother. It is hard, though. I would volunteer myself for death, yet now it is staying alive that proves to be most difficult.

Gale kept his promise and is gone from my side as I roll out from under the blanket. My toes curl on instinct as they touch the cool packed dirt beneath them. I stalk out of my hole of a room and into what can only be described as our 'living room'. Prim is sitting on the ground waiting for me.

She sees me, flashes a smile, and stands; ready to walk with me to breakfast. I always feel so vulnerable without any shoes on, but we have to go pick our clothes up before we get into the shower. If I want to take a shower without a long wait I need to get up earlier. I will eat and then go to the water.

"Katniss!" I hear my name as soon as I step inside the 'dining hall', which is the size of two of my schools. Almost everyone's heads turn to get a better look at me. I duck my head against the unwanted attention and move toward the direction of the familiar voice.

Because I find the table consisting of Haymitch, Beetee, and Gale, I am thinking about just skipping breakfast and going for the spray of water. But my stomach erases any thought of that as it rumbles loud enough for Beetee, who has an open seat next to him, to look up at me.

As I watch the edge of the table, I sit onto the hard bench next to him and stare down at empty space. My hands wrestle each other in my lap and I am too preoccupied to pay attention to anyone else around me. The sound of chatter starts up again now that I am sitting and the clang of metal on glass reminds me of my school cafeteria.

Although I think everyone else has stopped watching me, I still feel the gaze of Gale on the visible part of my face. I refuse to meet his gaze.

"Here Catnip," he speaks, which forces me to break eye contact with my hands and see what he pushes toward me from across the table. Haymitch scoffs across from me, annoyed at being interrupted. But this was all, and he was back to speaking with Beetee, his voice a muffle of noise in my ears.

I grab the bowl of oatmeal and the offered spoon that Gale slid to me, careful not to brush my hand against his. The mush in front of me begins dispersing, one slow moving clump at a time. "… Triple check for any survivors," was all I manage to decipher of the voices speaking. I did not even know for sure if it was Beetee or Haymitch who said it.

The bowl in front of my face is empty and then I stand, excusing myself without saying a word. With the used dishes in my hand, I begin to walk to where they are cleaned. I stack the bowl on top of someone else's and the utensil goes into a small box with others.

It is off to the showers for me, so I begin to walk down the hall once more, not seeing anyone. My eyes glue themselves to the floor and my feet. They are dirty after walking barefoot on the compact dirt.

I can see part of the bottom as I take a step and can tell then. Another's feet are in front of mine and I stop, a frown on my face. These feet continue to move though, and I see another body collide with me. Then they back up after running into me. "Katniss!" I just nod into the person's chest. I feel hands on my shoulder but act as though I do not notice them. "Katniss," the voice says again and I give the person a curt nod.

One hand disappears from my shoulder only to be replaced onto my chin. The person forces it up, though I do not put up much of a fight. I prepare to look anywhere but their eyes, but his face is so close that his eyes are all I can see.

"Damn girl," I blink and the hand drops away, prompting me to return my eyes to the floor. "Say… _something_." When I only raise my shoulders, he shakes the one he is still holding. "Damn it, Katniss!" more feet are closing in on us and all movement out of the corner of my eyes ceases to exist.

"Finnick," Haymitch's voice speaks from the feet that joins ours. The hand on my shoulder loosens and then leaves all together.

"Haymitch! How can you _not_ care about this? Mags gave her life for _this_? Some are losing hope here, and little miss why-didn't-they-save-Peeta can't stop sulking over the fact that she is _alive_!" My ears hear Peeta, but then I realize that it has nothing at all to do with news of his well-being. "_You know what_?!?" The voice is loud and screechy in my ears. "We _should _have saved Peeta. He would at least be fighting. He would be_ trying_ to help."

There is his name again. I look up then, into Finnick's eyes. There are several faces behind his, watching me for signs of life. "You're right," I finally speak and stalk between him and Haymitch, going to the showers once more.

A small, unnatural crack fills the hall and I glance back to see Finnick splayed on the ground, Gale stands over him with his fist clenched. As much as I want to care, I just can't.

---

Authors note;

Pr_eee_tty fast update for someone who was going to make this a one-shot, eh? ;D

That is mostly thanks to such a quick and fantasmic Beta, _**Erica**_ (Writting2StayHalfSane) who likes to write for fun. 3

Of course, the fact that I have almost no life helps too. xD

Anywho... I'm going to be keeping these chapters semi-short (around 800-no more than 2,000 words at most) so hopefully I will be able to update more.

I was blown away by the response I got for the first chapter. I had been having not the **best** week and those really cheered me up.

_Thank you all_ again. ^^


	3. Sunshine

My wet hair clamps to my face as I walk out of the bathing room. The water drips from the ends down my back and over my face so I reach up and attempt to wipe it away from my eyes. Although I'm sure it will not matter much, all I see is the ground anyway.

I make it all the way back to our 'house' without running into anybody. However, as I step inside I am met with the sight of Haymitch, sitting on the homemade bench in the middle of the room. I finger the shirt that I wear and keep looking down; ready to get whatever he has to say over with.

"The kid's right," his voice is gruff and I wonder how long it has been since he was last drunk. "You cannot keep going on like this."

I nod. It is what everyone seems to want me to do. Whenever I do it they will be quiet and leave me alone until they realize that it does nothing for me. People still accept it.

"Kill yourself then, Katniss," his harsh words and even, uncaring tone make me blink into the dust at my feet. "I'm sure your family will get over it. It would be better than seeing you like this."

I raise my head to his, my eyes finding his jaw. "I want to save him."

He throws back his head and makes a scoffing noise. "Good luck with that."

My head falls back down at his words. Somehow that is the worst thing I can hear. "Get out," my anger and fear begin to bubble to the surface. The way he had dismissed my request, as if Peeta was already dead, had sent a wave of panic rushing through my veins. I notice that he does not even stir in his seat. I level my eyes to his and glare into them. "GET OUT!" I shout and take a step forward, him standing up. I think he is about to turn away and leave when he speaks.

"No."

"GET OUT OF HERE!" My fists pound into his chest. Again. Again. I feel the warmth of his skin through the shirt he wears and it only serves to make me want to hit him harder. My pounding becomes more of a vibration as I lose my momentum and tears streak down my cheeks, leaving a burning trail in their wake.

A sob escapes my heart and I crumple, strong arms around me as I sink into Haymitch's chest. I feel the fabric of his shirt underneath my fingers and cry into his chest. I am aware that we are sitting now, and my eyes are pressed hard into his shoulder. Incoherent words leave my lips as I blame him for choosing me over Peeta, for all the hell my friend must be going through.

Sounds similar to moans of pain burst from my heart and every part of me begins to ache with the need for it to be Peeta with me. Him holding me as I cry. His scent of bread and paint instead of Haymitch's sweat and soap. My hands forms fists again and I hit the chest my face is buried in again, a feeble attempt in my weak state.

Nothing has hurt me so much in my whole life. Peeta did not deserve to be captured by the Capitol. He was so much better than me, than everyone else. He had a heart of gold and could move a crowd with his reassuring words. If he were in my place he would be helping to organize a fight against the people who had me or would be coming up with a plan. But all I could do was continue to soak my ex mentor's shirt with my salty tears until my eyes were swollen shut. Peeta would want me to fight for him, to find and rescue him before he was killed.

Finally, I pull away from Haymitch. The only thing he had done to comfort me was squeeze me into his chest when the sobs felt as if they might break me in half. There is no way I can tell him that I want to rescue Peeta. It is because I fear he will tell me Peeta is already dead, which will take me to a place I care not to visit.

"I'll…" I rub my eyes to try and clear my mind. My nose may be puffy and stuffy, but my mind was clearer than it had been since I arrived in District Thirteen. "I'll help you," I say at last. It was so dim inside the tunnels. I hadn't ventured out since I had been here. A part of me missed the sunshine and the sound of birds chirping. "But I want to go outside."

---

_Author's note;_

Oooh snapskies. Px

_**Erica**_ (Writting2StayHalfSane), you are an _amazing_ Beta, thanks again for the error check-and-fix. ;D

I am having a lot of **fun **with this story. The reviews PWN ALL SUCKAAAS.... O.o

Scared myself a bit there.


	4. Never Fall

According to Haymitch, going outside was easier than I thought it would be. He leaves the room after saying that, making me sit on the ground and await his return. When he comes back I stand, only to find Gale, Prim, my mother, and BeeTee, along with a few heavily muscled men, who looked menacing and bored at the same time, with him. They stand in the dirt archway leading to our living room.

"Alright, let's go," Haymitch turned from our 'house' and began to lead the way down halls and dark parts of this facility I had not known existed. Soon the dirt gave way to some sort of hard, cool surface. The dim lights of candle sconces are not enough to allow me the pleasure of seeing what we step on.

"What is this?" I ask from the back, with only one of the large men lagging behind me. Gale is in front of me and I notice every little glance he shoots behind him. With the glow of the lights he appears sort of angelic and it makes me want to melt. It reminds me of those days when I could picture us getting married; the day we kissed. Every time I wanted him in the Arena. Few good memories from District 12 do not include him.

He notices me watching him and turns around.

"Technology," I hear the gruff response. "Now keep up. You're the one who wanted to see the sun."

It seems to take awhile, but then Haymitch takes a sharp turn and we stop walking only to start climbing. By the time Gale pauses I am out of breath. It is my fault for not doing anything but eating, sleeping, whatever schoolwork a few former teachers force upon me, and other chores we share underground such as dishes duty.

My hand finds the wall and I lean onto it, surprised to find that it is not made of dirt. A sudden pressure on my shoulder causes me to look up into concerned eyes. "Are you alright?" Through the dim light I can see his pupils dart, for less than a second, to my lips.

I open my mouth to respond when I hear someone clear their throat beside me. Pushing myself off the wall, I step back. Though it is more of a stagger than anything else. I feel Gale's hand around my arm; the only thing keeping me from falling.

"Sorry," I get light headed, letting myself fall against him until it passes. I look past his shoulder and to the place where everyone else disappeared. "We should go," I straighten myself up and Gale lets go of me with obvious reluctance. He watches me as if I am a newborn learning to walk.

He stays by my side as we walk almost directly into a metal barrier. I had seen one of these before; had to use one while fearing the future. "An elevator?"

"Yeah," he presses the up button and I wonder what is down further. More 'houses' possibly? I do not have time to think it over because the door opens and Haymitch stands there not bothering to hide his annoyance.

Saying something like 'come on' he steps aside so the three of us can crowd inside. But it is much larger than I expected. There is still plenty of room. Many questions flow through my mind, but I keep my mouth shut, deciding it will be better that way. There is a time for questions later.

Haymitch presses a button and we lurch upward. My hand snatches onto Gale for balance since there is no railing to hold. There are little sconces here too, but it is brighter than the tunnels. I see a small smile form on his lips and he looks at me. His arm reaches across my back to latch onto my shoulder, pulling me tight against him as I relinquish my grip on his arm.

"You're fine, Catnip," he squeezes me into him. "I've got a hold of you. You will never fall while I am here."

There is nothing I can think of to say to that, so I stay silent. But it does not seem that he was even excepting a response, because almost right after he reassures me he addresses Haymitch. "How many are going?"

"We're excepting at least ten people. But they need to volunteer and most are reluctant."

I have no idea what it is they are talking about, so I frown as I watch the doors and listen. The warmth of Gale's body pressed against my side is so calming that I decide to keep my mouth shut. "I'm sure it can't be that difficult to find ten considering how many live here."

"That's just it though," the man who has no name speaks for the first time and I break eye contact with the door to glance at him. He is leaning on the opposite side of the elevator where no one is near him. The toe of one of his feet is tucked behind the ankle of his other. It is such a relaxed gesture that I wonder if Gale's powers had affected him as well. The way he was acting earlier would not condone such posture. His voice was even deeper than I expected, but it had an edge of softness to it that I thought impossible for a man of that size. "They do not want to leave their home."

Out of the corner of my eye I see Haymitch frown and shake his head. "They are losing hope," his eyes lick to me and I know that he knows that I am watching him. My eyes turn to meet his then.

"I can fix that," I feel the eyes of the three men on me. But it does not bother me at all like it did in the cafeteria earlier this morning. "I will help."

Gale squeezes me into him once more as the elevator makes a sudden stop. No one else threatens to fall and I wonder how many times they have gone on this ride to the surface.

Then almost all thoughts are wiped from my mind as the doors part and blinding light sears my pupils.

---

_Authors note_;

Sorry it took me awhile. I got captured with some one-shots and another story I'm writing.

**Erica** (Writting2StayHalfSane) is _beyond_ BA. Thanks again. ^^

Happy late Valentines Day; I hope yours was as **fantastic **as mine! :D

I was thinking of changing the name of this story... what do _you_ think?

_Please_ review! And I should be able to update sooner as well.


	5. Smiles

When my eyes adjust to the white light the first thing that I see is the color green. Grass and moss and leaves are everywhere. They cover the ruins of what used to be buildings but were now piles of bricks. Vines rack across as if the rubble was a part of the greenery that surrounds it. If it had not been for the gray and brown of those bricks, I was not sure if I would have noticed the difference.

"Come on," Haymitch's voice forces my eyes to where his retreating back is. Gale's arm slips from around me but then I feel his hand on mine, entwining our fingers. It is such a casual gesture, like one couples make. To me it is bizarre. My hand falls from his and I reach up to scratch my nose. The perfect cover up. I walk ahead of him too, so he is not tempted to reach for my fingers again.

"Where are we going?" I ask Haymitch, who is walking toward the trees outlining the green opening we are in. It is as if a giant took a step in the middle of a jungle and the trees had yet to grow back in. I follow Haymitch as he sidesteps a large brick in the invisible path he is on.

I watch him look behind him at me for a moment before his brief falter ends and he is navigating through the trees. But he does not respond, only continues to walk. So I follow in silence, figuring I'll find out soon enough anyways.

My foot catches on something and I feel myself falling towards the ground. I brace myself but strong arms envelop my waist before I hit a rock in front of me. No, it is a brick. A large, sharp one that could have impaled me.

I expect Gale to overreact and make a huge deal out of me almost killing myself and being so careless. However, when I turn to face him I see that he has already seemed to have moved on. He is watching Haymitch as he disappears into the trees, not deterred by the clumsy girl. Then he glances at me and flashes a small smile that appears forced to me. He puts his hands on my back and we begin walking forward. This time I do not try to get rid of his contact, knowing that there are objects in the ground unseen and covered by overgrown grass.

Then we are in the trees and it is darker than under the sunlight. Gale continues to navigate me through the leaves and bushes as if he has done this a million times. Maybe he has.

I hear them before I see them through the foliage. A murmuring of voices and someone's laugh cuts through them all. We pass another set of trees and then I see everything.

A large group of people move around a group of trees that are much thinner than the others that we passed. The tops of them, however, have just as many leaves. Covering them, I realize. Leaning against one of the nearest ones to us Prim is smiling with a young boy who I have never seen before. She smiles and talks with her hands, appearing to describe something so dramatic. He looks at her with rapt attention, running a hand through his dark hair and shaking his head as he adjusts something over his shoulder.

"Is that a gun?" the question pops out of my mouth before I even realized that was what I was thinking.

I feel Gale shift next to me and his hand leaves my side as he follows my gaze. "Yeah," he seems surprised that I spoke by the look he gives me. It is full of shock.

There are so many people gathered that it takes me a moment to find someone else I know. My mother is talking with Beetee as they walk towards us. She passes Prim and lays a hand on her shoulder. She stops mid-word and turns. Our eyes meet and she smiles. I see her running towards me before I'm engulfed in her hug.

"Sorry we didn't wait," her cheeks have a rosy color to them I have never seen before on her. "Haymitch told us to go ahead up without you."

"Come on," Haymitch appears in front of us and I am walking again. Gale's hand has slid around my waist and is now resting against my side. I am unsure of what to do with my hands. The ground here is almost all flat dirt and I have no fear of falling again. Yet I do not know how to get out of his touch without it being obvious. My sister is skipping along my other side and I hear the guard's footsteps behind us as well. As we pass them, my mother and Beetee fall into step directly behind Gale. So I let him pull me tighter to him as we try not to run into anyone. It seems as if everyone has some sort of weapon.

My curiosity gets the better of me and I decide to ask, "what is this place?" Mostly to get the hand on my waist out of my mind. It is making me more uncomfortable than I ever remember being.

From behind us Beetee's voice answers before Gale can even open his mouth to respond. "The base. There are people posted around everywhere in the trees, searching for escapees. They will interrogate them to make sure they are not spies. Then bring them here before taking them below."

I nod. I should not have been at all surprised that they are so careful and productive. "How often do people appear?"

"One a day on average," now it was Prim who spoke. "At least that was what Raite told me."

"Who is Raite?"

That pink color rose onto her cheeks in a darker shade. She looked at the ground, then to her other side before responding. "My friend."

Never have I seen my little sister blush. I was so taken aback by that it took me a minute to register what it was she had said. I want to say something more to her on the subject but someone else speaks first.

"Haymitch. To what do we owe this…" the voice levels off as I squint towards the trees. Up there, where I hadn't seen anything before, was what could only be described as a house. It stretched over six trees and seems the color of them as well, made to blend in. Something so well blended that I may not have seen it if not for a balcony, where a man was standing. He was peering down at us, a gun over his shoulder.

"Katniss," I did not like the way that man spoke my name. It was as if he was in shark infested waters and I was on a boat with a life raft, about to throw it to him. I am surprised then when he disappears for a moment and then a ladder dropped from the tree. Haymich motioned for me to start climbing and Gale let go of me.

I grasped the first ring of it that I could reach and placed my feet on the bottom one. It was a slow process, the ladder moving making me nervous. About halfway up I felt it steady and look down to see Gale and the guard holding the bottom on it. I gave them a small smile and then continued up, this time quicker than before. As soon as I get to the top I poke my head through a square in the balcony floor and begin hoisting myself up. My arms begin to shake and then a hand is on my arm. A tight squeeze and then I am on my feet on the balcony.

The person who has pulled me to my feet is the same person who had been watching us. The way he looks at me was no better than how he said my name. I half-expect him to bow when he holds out his hand for me to take. I do and his grip is firm and moist.

"Schorl Paladine," his deep voice booms over the few noises coming from inside the house and nature noises.

"Katniss Everdeen," he beams as I say my name, and I fear for his mouth splitting in half.

"It is such an honor to finally see you outside."

"Um," I let go of his hand and peer down as the ladder moves; Haymitch is walking up and now it is just the guard holding onto the rope. I do not see Gale anywhere. "Thank you. So what do you do here?" I ask in form of conversation.

"I am the head of all of this," he motions with his arms as if he owns the whole forest. "I control everyone and everything that comes in and out of here. All forms of machinery and hovercrafts are issued through me. No one leaves or comes without my permission."

I freeze. I need a hovercraft to get to Peeta and his man knows where they are. I flash him the most charming smile I am able to conjure. "Well that sounds like a fascinating job. How did you get started?"

---

_Author's note;_

Urrrgh that one took forever to complete. /: But it was the longest chapter yet!

**Sorry **for that wait; I was _superbusy_ over my spring break. I didn't even have time to check my e-mail. And (I'll admit it) I was working on a little one-shot.

Thaaanks again to **_Erica_** (Writting2StayHalfSane) because tons of this story would be in the wrong tense without her _endless_ patience and precious time. ^^

Join the Review Revolution and **review**! Find the contract near the bottom of my profile. (x


	6. The Leader

During dinner, where my plate is piled high, I am conscious of eyes on me. I can't ignore them, they make me feel uncomfortable. Never was I the one who got all of the attention, and it is beginning to freak me out a bit.

As I slurp my soup from the bowl, I feel a hand slap against my back. It makes me sputter and cough, dribbling soup down my chin as I place the bowl onto the steady table. I wipe my face with the back of my hand as the hand leaves my back and slides around my shoulders.

When I look beside me, Finnick is straddling the bench and his face is only inches away from mine. Out of the corner of my eye I see Gale shift in his seat and make a coughing noise.

Either he didn't hear or was ignoring Gale, because Finnick's face brakes out in a grin. "Lookie at who finally decided to take action," his face falls into an expression of sadness. "Too bad it's for your own selfish reasons."

My eyes focus on his and I know that he knows. I shrug off his arm and stand up, ignoring that he follows suit. Gale begins to stand, so I glance at him with a look that should clearly read 'don't.' All I need now is another fight between the two of them.

My hands reach for my dishes, but Finnick beats me to it. I snatch my roll off the plate and pick up my glass of water. Biting into the roll, I walk toward the exit.

When someone falls into step beside me I expect it to be Finnick, but by the footfalls I know that it is Gale. It is not as if I truly expected him to stay behind. Peeta was the kind of guy to respect one's wishes; Gale would go out of his way to defy anything.

I stop mid-stride and turn toward him. "Please," I meet his eyes and push away the pang in my chest at the hurt I see there. After a moment of internal battling, I place a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be fine. Remember that he protected me in the arena."

By the pain that crosses his face, for barely a second, I know that is why he does not like Finnick. Gale had not been the one protecting me in the arena, so he feels he has to be with me all the time now that he can. It all makes sense now that I have worked it out in my own mind.

The pain is gone as quick as it came, and a blank expression takes its place. Hiding his emotions from me and closing off was something he only started to do after he kissed me the first time.

I turn and start to move toward the exit, but something stops me. Going off with Finnick without him will be like rejecting him in some way.

"Gale," he had started to go back towards the table. Upon hearing my words he pauses and swivels to face me with such slowness that I cannot stop the guilt from rising in my chest. I close the short distance between us and place a kiss on his warm cheek. The forced smile I get in return is reassurance enough that everything between us will be fine. If it has ever been fine to begin with.

I leave then, without glancing back.

"So," Finnick stretches his arms in front of himself as we navigate the dirt tunnels. "Making friends with the guys that control the hovercrafts, are you?"

I sigh because now I know that he knows what I was planning. _Exactly_ what I was planning. "How did you know?"

"As much of a surprise as this may be to you, Katniss, Haymitch does trust me. And he has every reason to, considering that I saved your ass in the arena."

"I didn't ask you to do that. You should have saved Peeta, not me."

"No, _Haymitch_ asked me to do that. The revolution has begun, and you are the leader."

I stop all movements and it takes him a moment to realize I am not with him anymore. He looks back with a small look of puzzlement on his face. For once I caught his vigilant self off-guard, which makes me feel oddly accomplished.

"Peeta would make a better leader."

He huffed, a motion that was bizarre for the guy who got so many sponsors from his good looks and charm. "So what is your idea, exactly? Let's say you _do_ get a hovercraft and you are _able_ to make it all the way to the Capitol. Then what? Where would you begin to look for him at? Everyone is searching for you, Katniss. Any sign of you and anyone living there will snatch you up and hand you over to Snow. What good will you be to Peeta, or anyone else, when you are dead?"

"I don't have all of it worked out yet, maybe, but at least I am trying to rescue him. If I get myself hurt in the process, that is a price I am willing to pay."

He shakes his head and remains silent as a few people pass us, slowing to stare at me. When they turn the corner and we can hear them talking again, Finnick speaks. "You need so much help with this plan, Katniss," in the dim lighting I watch his face turn as serious as I have ever seen it. "Which is why I'm going to help you."

_Author's Note;_

Really? My Beta for this story is just **fabulous**. Erica; you rock.

There are two other chapters already written and sure to be posted soon.

_This time I mean it_.

I haven't had much time to write, but when I have been it's been on my **two** chaptered stories. [:

L_oooo_k out. Those reviews are good for the soul. ^^


	7. First Priority

As I focus on the handsome man before me, I try not to show my shock. But by the smug expression on his face, I am positive that it's not working. It is impossible not to be shocked, though, because he had never been known for his kindness and selfless deeds. He was actually known for his charm and lying ways in the arena that helped him win.

"Why?"

He smirks and I resist the urge to raise my hand and hit him. Something about the guy in front of me frustrates and confuses me more than Gale and Peeta together. That is enough for me to want to break him in half, even if he did save my life.

"Well isn't that obvious?" he inquires while raising his eyebrows and I glare at him while crossing my arms in front of me.

"Being that I _asked_ the question, it _obviously_ is not _obvious_, Finnick."

Instead of replying, he smiles at me and then moves, brushing past me. I turn to keep up with his stride. "Where are you going?"

"My room," he says then I follow him in silence. It did not really occur to me for us to have such a conversation in a more private setting. As soon as he spoke that, though, it was almost painful that I was not more careful. Anyone could have been lurking near us and listening in on our discussion, which was about to defy Haymitch and everyone else in District Thirteen.

When we arrive the first thing I notice is how small it is. The only furniture in the one-roomed dirt shack is a bed, which takes up most of the room itself. He plops down onto the bed and pats the empty space beside him while winking at me.

I stand up straighter and frown. "Now answer my question."

"Pushy, pushy," he sighs. "But alright. I figure that if I help you rescue Peeta, you will help me save Annie."

My mouth opens, but no words leave it so I close it again. That makes much more sense in my mind; it is the Finnick I have come to know. The only person he has ever cared about is still stuck in her District and he needs my help getting her out.

"We need to save Peeta first. He is the first priority," but he only shakes his head and holds up a hand to stop the words in my mouth.

"The Capitol will be all over us by then. Annie does not really matter to them. We need to get her out first, then save Peeta."

I shift my weight to my other leg and my hands fall from where they were crossed against my chest. "How do I know you will not just rescue her and then leave me to help him?"

"Did I leave you the first time?"

Nothing to say back comes to mind after that, so I shake my head.

"And I won't leave you just because Annie is with us. We'll do this together, Katniss," he slides from the bed and stands in front of me. "We can save the lives of two important people."

His close proximity makes me uncomfortable, but I decide to just shrug that off. But then he reaches up his hand and tucks back a strand of my hair. I have to force my feet to stay where they are on the floor and I'm sure he noticed me tense up when I did.

There is so much to lose if I go at this alone. If I were to be caught or terminated there would be nobody around who could save Peeta. That is a risk I am not willing to take, because Peeta's life is worth so much more than my own. He is everything that this District could ever hope to find; the perfect leader. And he is my friend and he needs my help, or he just might die.

A pang hits my chest and for a second I am unable breathe. When I can, I gasp as quietly as possible and meet the intent gaze of Finnick. His eyes bore into mine as I give one curt nod and close my eyes.

"Good girl," I feel his somehow soft lips brush the corner of my mouth, and my eyes open again.

_Author's Note;_

Without **Erica**, my Beta, this would suck. So thanks for the seventh (or seventieth) time, dear. ^^

The last one was a bit of a _cliffhanger_, so I hope this clears up any questions.

Your reviews are always so **lovely**; and they make my day. :D

I was going to post this chapter yesterday, but I ended up going to the mall and dinner, which cheered me up.

Yesterday was terrible for me... I got a parking ticket for parking in a 'permit only' parking spot on the street. But I've _got_ a student permit! Ridiculous? I think so!


	8. Unclench

There is not much use for knowing the exact time of day down here, but it is known if it is light or dark outside the caves. Actually, there is much more foot traffic than I once believed. Watchers, which they are referred to as, are always coming inside for various reasons, and more are leaving to take up their posts. It is therefore known by everybody in the cafeteria the time of day.

Around noon is the first time I spot Finnick after I left his room last evening. When I had been helping bake rolls in the kitchens, he was on his Watcher's duty. At breakfast he sat with other people than I, but he sees me by myself after entering the room and winks. I give him a smile and raise my eyebrows in response, and then gaze down at the food in front of me.

His presence is known by the sound of his tray dropping onto the table. He leans his face close to mine as he moves around in a loud and obnoxious manner; as if him sitting with me is something everyone in the room is not already aware of. The room is almost silent, save for a few oblivious people. I always sit at the table nearest the door, and today my back is to everyone. Which I am glad for now.

"Good afternoon Katniss," Finnick speaks after his display of eating with me ends. "And everyone else," I glance up in time to see him beam at a spot past my shoulder and turn to watch as people shuffle to look away.

Finally, his eyes meet mine and he opens his mouth to speak. I feel a sudden weight on my shoulder and jump, somehow managing to squeak in surprise. As I peer up, the kind face of an elder woman meets my eyes.

"So sorry dear," her voice has a soft quality that the few elders in District 12 could have also mastered. It must come from old age and experience. Or maybe their voice boxes just become tired after so much use. "I did not mean to startle you," her face wrinkles up as if she is in pain, and I realize that she is smiling.

I return her smile, but with noticeably less enthusiasm. "It's alright."

"My friend and I have a question for you. Would you mind answering it?"

As I shoot a quick glance back to Finnick, I notice Gale strolling through the doors to the cafeteria. Our eyes meet for a brief second, but his stride does not falter and he continues to walk toward our table. Since yesterday I have not seen him at all; even when I woke up in a cold sweat from the night terrors, it was Prim who had awakened me.

Without waiting for a response, the old lady speaks and my attention is forced back to her again. "Did you pretend to be in love with Peeta to defy the Capitol?"

The answer to the question is lost in my throat. If I thought she was going to ask for me to go back to the kitchens, I was wrong. My mouth opens and then I close it again. This yes-or-no question shouldn't be as hard as I think it is. But with not only her, but Gale and Finnick waiting for my response, I find I do not have one.

"I don't know," I say. Her eyes become disappointed but she gives me a sad smile and pats my shoulder, which her hand is still clasping. She just nods her head and leaves.

Gale is behind Finnick and appears to be undecided about which side to sit on. I pat the top of the table next to me and I watch his eyes follow the movement. Then, had I not been watching his eyes closely I would have missed it, but his eyes shoot to Finnick, who is directly across from me.

I scoot to the side, my leg brushing Finnick's under the table. He beams as he picks at his roll. "She may have let you off easily, but I would like to know, Katniss."

I make a noncommittal sound in the back of my throat as Gale glides into place beside me. He's silent while he takes a sip from his water. I take the chance to shoot a fierce look at Finnick.

"What do you think, Gale?" Finnick focuses his attention elsewhere. I just wish it was not toward Gale. I don't want to risk a glance at him, but I look beside me in time to watch Gale unclench his jaw.

"About what?"

"Do you think she was really in love with Peeta during the first Games? Or was it a ruse?"

"It was something for the sponsors to take notice of," the confidence in his voice makes my heart leap. Of course I need to intervene, but their eyes are locked as if there is something on the line. Finnick is smiling and Gale has a fierce flare reflected by Finnick's. But Gale is not hiding his malice toward the other man.

Finnick stands, directing a glance at me. Gale lowers his head to his food and plucks at it methodically. "I should go now," he winks to me before grabbing his food and swiveling on his heel. "Have some things to think over."

The moment he is gone from my sight I look down to my tray. That old, wrinkly lady asked me a question which had no possible answer that I could determine. It had been something for the sponsors… at first. Then, afterwards, I realized Peeta was not faking. The second time around in the Arena I was willing to die for his sake. Yet he was taken away from me. But, did I love him now? She had no way of knowing how much that question would affect me, or that it was the one question I was unable to continue asking myself.

I also had yet to find the answer.

* * *

_Author's note;_

So the only reason **this** one took so long was because my Beta stopped replying to my e-mails and I finally decided to just look it over myself.

If there are any mistakes, I _apologize_.

This one is a **bit **of a filler, but a much needed one.

Join the good side. We **_review_**. (:


	9. Funny Business

"We can do it."

Finnick's obvious hope is accompanied by a smile. The past week was spent planning. I am always unable to sneak away at night, because Gale insists on being outside of my 'room' in the case that I have another nightmare. But during the day we skip our duties and talk.

Tomorrow night, our plan will be put to the test.

Since we finally decided on how to get out, there was no time to waste. The longer we wait the smaller chance that Peeta was still breathing. No time at all for us to hesitate or second-guess our arrangement.

I nod and Finnick's jaw clenches and then unclenches. He nods once too, the smile falling from his handsome face.

"Until then, Katniss," he leans forward and gives me a kiss on my cheek. I force the corner of my lip up and leave his room, knowing what is needed from me when the time comes.

As I exit the place where Finnick is staying, I run into Haymitch. He peers down at me and squints.

"What are you doing?"

"I," I almost stutter. Twice in the Arena, however, and I know how to bluff. "Am searching for Gale."

"Might want to try _your _room instead of Finnicks."

Maybe not bluff _well._

"Oh, right, but he was not there when I checked a few minutes ago," I recover and Haymitch just observes me, his eyes calculating as he emits a gruff, disbelieving noise. My eyes stay on his, because breaking contact will give away the lie.

The stare-down ends only when Haymitch speaks. "Go on, then. No funny business, Katniss."

To that I have no immediate response, so I only shrug and continue down the hall, feeling his eyes on me until I turn a corner. Only when I know he cannot hear me do I let out a sigh of relief and lean against the wall, sliding down until I am hugging my knees. I close my eyes and breathe in the dusty air, knowing that this time tomorrow night I will finally be doing something to rescue Peeta. Even if I fail and am captured, I will have at least tried and given it everything I have. Until tomorrow I have some time for myself. We already have the needed weapons; taking things from above over the past week and storing it away so there is a less chance they notice the missing ammo.

"Catnip?"

My eyes snap open and Gale is in my vision, staring at me from where he appears to have paused while walking. I had not even heard him.

Even though I say nothing, he moves to sit next to me on the ground.

"Everything will be alright," I feel the warmth of his arms engulf me. Maybe he believes this is true, because I know Gale would never lie to me. The touch of him this time has a finality to it that I know he does not notice. Tomorrow will be the start of a long journey with Finnick, and I may not return. May never see Gale again, or be alone with him.

So I turn my head and kiss him.

Not just a peck, but I rest my hand on his cheek and let him wrap an arm around my waist, pulling me tight to him. Our lips become almost melded as my hand goes to his neck and pushes them harder together. He pulls me into his lap and my free hand moves to his chest using his shirt to tug him even closer to me. At some point I feel his tongue glide across mine. Someone whimpers, and I am not sure, but I think it is me. Because this just feels so _right_ and how it is supposed to be with _us_. His hands are on my back and mine both slide to his hair.

Only after my breath is gone and a fire has forced it's way into my chest do I pull away, my tongue tracing his once more. Our heavy breathing is the only sound filling the silent hallway and I open my eyes to find him watching me.

Neither of us speaks, and after I can breathe again the quiet becomes almost deafening.

"This is how it should be. How it would have been. I love you, Catnip," he whispers as I just gaze at his lips while they form the words. "I always will."

Then I smile. My eyes relocate his and I lean forward, pressing another kiss to his lips. "I know." I am unable to tell him that I love him too, because I am going to leave soon. And I might not return.

There is no need to hurt him more than I already will.


	10. Good Luck

Even though it feels different, it still is right that our hands are intertwined. So I don't wiggle out of his grasp, letting our fingers stay connected. I keep my eyes ahead, not looking down at the hands like I want to.

We get to our 'house' and I see Prim and my mom sitting and talking with the boy Prim had been talking to above; the one who made her blush. They all turn to us as we enter.

"Katniss!" my sister's face breaks out in a huge grin and she stands to hug me. I let go of Gale's hand so I can hug her back. I take a deep inhale of her hair, smelling how wonderful she always smelled. Even when we did not have enough money for soap, she always smelled like _Prim_. That is all I need to commit her to my memory.

I kiss the top of her head as she pulls away and skips over to where mom is. "Katniss this is Raite," she motions to the young man sitting on the floor. He looks to be about a few years younger than me, but much larger.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet the girl who started the revolution," he smiles at me and something in my chest snaps, forcing me to smile back.

"And I'm glad to meet the boy who made my sister blush," my sister gapes at me in horror, but he just laughs. Prim seems to decide that I meant it as a harmless comment, so she sits down next to mom again. I walk over and plop down beside Raite. Gale shadows me and sits on my other side.

We all turn toward the doorway as we hear someone clear their throat. Haymitch stands there watching us all. "Is this some sort of circle group?" I turn back to the others and notice that he is right; we make a circle.

"Would you like to join us?" Prim invites, scooting closer to Gale. Haymitch nods and places himself upon the ground by my mom, who has yet to speak. I notice her eyes on Gale and I.

"As I was saying," Raite leans forward and interlocks his fingers in front of him. "I was on my normal patrol with a few others when I heard a scraping noise. We all decided to see what the noise was. It turns out that it was a group of three people. One had a broken leg, which was the scraping. We interrogated them, of course, and they told us that they came from District Seven."

"Their story, though, was not believable. We had been planning on killing them when someone else from that District was summoned and informed us that they were, in fact, from there. They had been a part of the revolution from the start."

I just stare at him. "So, you were just going to_ kill_ them? They were innocent!"

"I know," he leans back and observes me. "It was a close one."

Haymitch snorts his agreement. Prim is watching Raite with stars in her eyes and I doubt she even heard what he was saying. I glance over at Gale and see that he is watching me. My mom sits there, nodding.

"Am I the only one disturbed by this?" I shoot up from my perch on the floor. "We should _not_ be doing things that way. You almost killed someone who is part of the revolution. Someone who came to us seeking _refuge_ and you almost kill them because of their _story_?"

Everyone is surprised by my outburst. Everyone, it seems, except for Haymitch. He speaks to me as if we are having a conversation and I did not just yell at someone I just met. "Then what do you propose we do, Katniss?"

This is not my place. I am leaving tomorrow night so I can rescue Peeta. The chance of survival is low. And yet I cannot let them continue doing this.

"Investigate! Give them more than a few minutes to decide if they live or die! Find someone who is good at reading people and have them talk to the people. Later, if we think that they ARE spies, we can capture them. You do not have to go around killing everyone. This is _not_ the Arena."

My eyes are flaring with the anger bubbling inside of me. Haymitch nods and my eyes are only on him, because everyone else in the room seems incapable of speech.

"Alright. I'll go run these ideas by Schorl," he stands, his eyes still on me. "If you can think of _anyone_ who would be up to the task of talking to the people, find me." I know what he means. Exactly what he means. Me. But, I won't be here.

As he leaves everybody else seems broken from their trance. My mom stands and goes to her 'room'. Prim gives me a quick hug before walking towards the doorway. Raite smiles at me and I smile back again.

"Lovely meeting you," he sticks out a hand. I reach to grab it and he leans forward to whisper in my ear. "You have more strength than you think. Good luck."

While he meets Prim at the door, he looks back and smiles once more. Even though my chest tells me to, this time I do not smile in return.

Gale watches Raite leave and the turns to me, a small scowl turning into compassion. "What did he say?"

I wave it off, taking his hand and leading him to my room. "Nothing important. You want to stay with me tonight Gale?"

He crawls into my bed with me, snuggling up against my back and resting an arm around my waist. I fit with him so well. All of our angles connect as if they had been built to be put together. As he drifts off, I lay awake, the questions coming at a rapid rate. None of them I can answer. This time tomorrow I will be on my way to saving Peeta.

At some point Prim enters the room, getting into her own bed and falling asleep at once. My eyes remain closed, but I cannot fall asleep. So I wonder about Raite. I wonder if he knows, because he wished me good luck. I wonder what he meant by 'good luck'. And I wonder why I actually smile when he smiles at me, because that has not happened in a long time.


	11. One Step to Skip

The next day passes at a slow pace. I go through all of the motions of the day because we cannot have anyone think we are up to anything. So, I wake up, shower, dress, eat breakfast, help in the kitchens, have lunch, go down in the elevator to help in the Underground Garden, and then I eat dinner.

In between is quite a lot of suspicion, though. Haymitch makes a comment at lunch that makes me wonder if he knows everything that will happen tonight. Gale visits me in the Gardens and I have the distinct feeling he is trying to have me confide in him to join us. But, moments after thinking such things, I know how crazy they are.

Maybe I am crazy. Maybe I am going insane. Except, someone going insane would not know they were insane. That was the whole point of being crazy.

After dinner with Prim, Gale, and Raite, I leave to go to my room. Sharing a 'house' with another family never was a bad idea… until now. If I think I can get some alone time without asking for it, I am wrong.

"Bye," I turn along a hallway as if this was normal behavior. Gale stops walking and calls to me. When I turn, I find that I am smiling. "Yes?"

"Where are you going?" he has a small, amused smile on his face.

Never do I want to lie to Gale. He is my best friend and we have known each other too well for too long to lie to each other. A level of trust is there that I am not about to break, even if I am about to fly to my death. So I tell the truth.

"I have no idea," I say, raising my shoulders. _But I have to get away from you_, I think but do not add.

There is a question in his eyes that I have already answered by leaving his side, but he asks it anyway. "Alone?"

I just nod, moving backwards now. "I'll… see you around," the thought enters my mind that this may be the last time I will ever see Gale. But, I can't think like that now. So I keep moving until I turn a corner and he disappears from sight.

My feet are the only things guiding me now, and I take a deep breath before stopping. When I look behind me it seems no different from any other part of the District. So I wait long enough to ensure Gale has left before entering the path leading to Finnick's 'house'.

As soon as I get there, the door opens and Finnick grabs my shirt to tug me inside. He slams the door closed behind him and I feel solid dirt radiate through my body as he shoves me against the 'wall' of his 'room'.

"You told him, didn't you?" Finnick's face is in mine and his eyes are flaring as his hands increase their grip on my shirt. "Didn't you?" he repeats when I do not answer right away.

"Who? Finnick, what are you talking about? And keep your voice down," I shoot a glance to the door, wondering who could be listening. He is making no effort to keep his voice a normal level, even if he seems to be going crazy himself. I wonder if he knows it too.

His eyes bore into my soul and I swallow. "I thought we agreed to bring one other person with us who could fly the hovercraft," his teeth are clenched while he speaks. "But you told Gale."

"I did not tell anyone anything, Finnick," I bring my hand up to knock his hand from my shirt. "Do you think I would want to risk getting caught and stopped before we even had the chance to save Peeta?" My heart lurches at the thought.

The expression of anger melds into something softer and he seems in control of his breathing again. "I guess not. But he told me earlier that Annie is not in our District, "he turns away and flexes his hands. "She was captured by the Capitol too. They kept the information from me since I was on the hovercraft from the Arena."

My hand touches his shoulder and he tenses. "Just one step to skip, then," he says and turns to me with a determined stance and fire in his eyes. "Are you ready?"

"I was born ready for this, Finnick. I was born to save Peeta," I am shocked to find that this is true. Peeta's life means more to me than my own because his is more important to me. It should not be new to me, but I find that I want him alive more than I want myself alive.

He nods. "Then let's go," he opens the door and steps through, motioning for me to follow.

I force all thoughts of saying goodbye to my mother and Prim, Gale or Haymitch, drip from my mind as I fall into step behind Finnick.

* * *

_Author's note;_

And, oh yeah, I was **right** about the underground tunnels thing and advanced technology. Just saying. ;D


	12. More Will Die

By some sort of bought of luck, we do not pass anyone that we know well enough to question why the two of us are together. I follow Finnick through the tunnels, my eyes on the back of his head as we twist, turn, and finally come to an elevator. I step aside as Finnick waits for it to open, hiding in the shadows in case someone is in there.

As the doors part, chatter is heard and I push myself further into the shadows. The voices barely pause as the owners of them step past Finnick and then pass me, one at a time. They are all soldiers of some sort.

Finnick motions to me the moment they are gone but I already stepped from the shadows. As soon as we are inside of the silent elevator, I feel the need to speak. I know our plan inside and out, but the quiet is too much.

"They didn't even think it odd you were out?"

He shrugs. "Sometimes I come up here for a stroll or to help out with patrols."

"But you're not in uniform."

"No one said everyone here was a genius," that forced one side of my mouth up in a half-smile. The doors opened and I kept from gasping at the beauty. Night turns everything outside here into a majestic silver darkness. Hues of only the darkest colors filled my vision, aided by the silver glow of the moon that seems to radiate off of _everything_. It was stunning.

Taking my hand, Finnick led the way through the rubble on the ground and I snapped out of whatever small trance I had been in. We make it past the open area and he flings me behind a tree just as voices move towards us from the woods, of which we were now on the outskirts.

Holding a hand over my heart I try to slow my breathing and am not able to by the time the guards pass us. So, I hold my breath until they are out of hearing range, which only causes me to breathe harder afterwards.

A tap on my shoulder indicates that Finnick is ready to go. I turn and follow him, we keep to the outside of the line of trees, never going too far in and stopping if we heard voices. But most did not travel out as far as we had unless they were watching for new arrivals into the District.

"Excuse me," a voice to our right makes us both jump and we faced the guard watching us. "What are you doing out so late?"

Before I can do or say anything but be stunned and have hopelessness flood me, a small explosion erupted not far from where we were. The guard jerked around, holding his gun toward the light and sound. I gasp and the hand that was on my mouth is wrenched away as Finnick snatches it and tugs me after him. I hear the guard yelling stuff but I cannot tell what he is saying.

This time we flee into the forest, continuing on for awhile in a diagonal line from where we had been. At some point Finnick drops my hand and I follow him in total silence. When he stops I do too. He motions for me to stay and he walks away until the foliage covers him.

While standing alone in the middle of the forest, I wonder if Peeta is still alive. If all of this is not some sort of wasted effort trying to rescue him. If he has not survived the torture the Capitol has made him endure, it is going to be my fault. We never should have split up in the Arena.

Before I can fully comprehend the next explosion behind me, but closer to District Thirteen than the other had been, Finnick appears.

"Come on," we weave through some trees and bushes before we come to a large clearing. Except, on the outsides of the clearing there are different hovercrafts and other kinds of machinery. Not able to get a look at anything, even with the moonlight guiding us, I rush after Finnick until we get to the one of the three hovercrafts in the middle of the clearing.

It is the medium sized one out of all three and the door on the side (who knew they didn't have to paralyze you on a rope?) is already open. We leap inside and it closes with an agonizingly slow pace behind us.

As soon as it shuts, Finnick moves to lock it. When that is done he turns to me and grins, blowing a stray piece of hair out of his face. "Buckle up," he says and I sit next to him on a bench facing the door. We strap ourselves in.

"Isn't there another seat in with Beetee?" I ask, knowing he is driving.

He glances at me and I notice the hesitation in his eyes before he speaks. "It's taken."

My heart catches in my throat. "WHAT?" I scream as the hovercraft lifts. I also hear other hovercrafts start up. My mind swirls with endless thoughts. "MORE THAN JUST US?"

More than anything, I feel betrayed. Beyond the stun, rage, relief, and embarrassment, betrayal was what I most feel. It is something Haymitch would do, not Finnick.

He must see the hurt expression on my face because he reaches out a hand to touch my cheek. I slap it away and he sighs. "Listen to me, Katniss," he says.

"No, you listen to me," I hiss. "I do not want others risking their lives for me to get Peeta back."

"Good," Finnick leans back and watches me for a moment. "Because they are not doing it for you. Or me. Or the people we are going to save. Or just to defy the Capitol. They are all here today after I gave them the choice to volunteer. They are doing it for the greater good, for the future children yet to be born. They are doing it so no one will ever have to be a part of the Games ever again. This is bigger than the both of us, Katniss. You may be the face and the spark this revolution needed, but they are not doing this to please you. You are just keeping the hope alive."

"I don't want them to die," I slink back in my bench. "Too many people have died already."

"And more will die. This is a war, Katniss. People die in war. But, for our children to have a better future than we could imagine; no Games. Fair lives. If they die, they volunteered for it and knew it was a possibility."

"They shouldn't."

"But they did."

It was not as if I could tell Beetee to turn the hovercraft around and take us back to District Thirteen because I did not want to have this many people with us. It would be forever until we got another chance to leave. Peeta could not wait any longer.

Instead of thinking of the souls who were now risking their lives by helping me, I wonder what kind of ruckus will occur in District Thirteen when they realize we are gone. My mind brings up mental images of them scurrying around on the ground, trying to restore order to the place. If they did not see the hovercrafts when we first took off, and if it takes awhile for anyone to listen to the guard who saw us, it will take them awhile to realize that we were not there.

* * *

_Author's note;_

It's been almost a year since I've updated a story on here. It feels strange.

Anyways, I already had this (and chapter 13) written. So I decided to post them.

And I'm hoping to finish this story, too. [:

However, I am a little afraid my writing style has changed (by that I mean gotten better), so we will see what happens.

Please bare with me.

_xoxo,_

_Tia_


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